


Graveyard Visit

by GothicLolita009



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-21
Updated: 2012-09-21
Packaged: 2017-11-14 18:16:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/518130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothicLolita009/pseuds/GothicLolita009
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-DH. Generations pay homage to the past and present.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Graveyard Visit

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All HP characters, settings and the like belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. It is being used without permission and without intent to copyright any material herein.

_May Second, 1998_

The night had been a long and tedious one for her, but she had persevered. By hand, without magic, she had gently taken the body of the man she adored and lovingly set to with sweet-smelling herbs and oils, murmuring the old prayers which would have been said over the great Arthur himself. She took the boards from the Shrieking Shack, just a few, and transfigured them into a beautiful coffin, and into this she laid the earthly remains of Severus Snape.

He looked almost peaceful, with the blood cleared from his neck and clothing, as if he were asleep and not dead. Fighting back the fresh tears which threatened to sap her strength, she placed the lid on the coffin. When that was done, she wearily lifted the ebony object, and began what was the strangest funeral procession ever.

Mika Delaney stopped along the way, gathering up branches of willow, red and white roses and sprigs of rosemary. She wove the branches and the flowers together, entwining his hands with them. A final kiss to his cold lips, and she replaced the lid on the coffin, working every charm she could think of to protect it from people and the elements. She found a beautiful willow tree that would suit her needs perfectly, and she dug a hole of proper depth, gently lowering him into the grave. She tossed another sprig of the fragrant rosemary into the hole.

"Farewell, my Half-Blood Prince," she murmured softly, covering the coffin with earth. It was only then she fell to knees before the grave and cried.

_January Ninth, 1999_

He and Aberforth took either end of the ebony coffin which was not heavy at all. She had always been small and thin, but even moreso now.

What was left of her was nothing more than an empty shell, and he supposed it was better that she had moved beyond the Veil. Better for her...there would be no more pain. Yet he would have to survive. He would have to live on.

They carried her to the familiar willow trees on the grounds of Hogwarts. It was the only place she would wish to lie, they both had surmised.

She, however, had been there before him. Another grave lay beneath the willow tree's protective branches. Nodding to Aberforth, he lightly blasted away the earth at the spot, and they lifted her coffin and lowered her.

"Goodbye, sweet Mika," he murmured softly as her coffin landed deep in the cold, dark earth. She hardly belonged there...she had been all warmth, fresh air and sunshine in life. And now, cold death had taken it all from her.

When he was alone, he wept.

_May First, 2030_

Rhiannon Lupin led the way through the grounds of Hogwarts and into the grove of willow trees which had grown even in her time. The boy and the girl played around and among them, and the trees didn't seem to mind. The giant squid raised a tentacle in greeting, and she laughed a little at her children as they ran off to splash it with water.

"Is this where they were buried?" asked her husband. Rhiannon nodded, seeking out the proper willow.

And there it was. Two graves, side by side. They had hardly been marked, and were ill-kempt. Weeds had overgrown the place, and so the young woman knelt down between the graves, pulling away at the weeds which covered the stones. She smiled a little at what was revealed between them. Wiping the dirt from her hands, Rhiannon took the roses from her husband, and laid them on the graves.

"Mother—who are these people?" asked the little girl as she trotted up.

"These people are very important to us," explained Rhiannon, "and later on, you will see why darling. They died protecting us."

"Were they brave?" asked the little boy, who had joined the conversation.

"Very much so...and look."

Between the grave grew a woody, rough looking plant.

"It's rosemary," said Rhiannon, "the symbol of remembrace. Even if the world forgot them, the earth certainly did not."

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for ff.net's Professor Flitwick's Prompt of the Day for September 12th: Rosemary for Remembrance.


End file.
